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Starting nursing after 5 months

MY son was born April 1st of this year. I am a diabetic, so the moment he was born, he was whisked to NICU. I had time to hold him, but that's all. While in NICU he was given a bottle of formula to raise his blood sugar(the only reason it was low was because the "brilliant" nurses gave me insulin during delivery, even though my blood sugar was a healthy 92). When they brought him to my room, I tried breastfeeding. I tried it over and over and over that day, and all through the night. Toward the end of the night, he was screaming so much, and seemed to be so hungry, that the nurse suggested a bottle. He drank half of it. Later that morning when I went to pick him up from the nursery the nurse there told me that he had had half a bottle. From that point on, he wanted nothing to do with the breast. He'd latch on for a few seconds, then when nothing came out, he'd scream until I gave him a bottle. My original plan was to breastfeed. I had no idea that I needed to tell them not to give him a bottle. So by the time we left the hospital, he wanted nothing but a bottle. To top this off, my milk to about a week and a half to come in.
Of course, I had (and still do) the usual feelings of guilt. Everytime I see someone breastfeed her baby, I want to cry.
Baby is almost six months old now. He's doing very well on formula and gaining weight adequately. We've introduced solids and a little bit of juice. I still feel the feel the sad feelings though.
I've never heard of relactation until today. I just thought that once the milk was gone, it was gone.
I would really like to breastfeed. But is he too old now to try it? Could my milk come back even though it has been gone for over 5 months? What sould I do to try and get it back? HELP!!!

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Re: Starting nursing after 5 months

as a mom who has relactated a baby older than a few months... heres what i recommend:

1) get a HOSPITAL GRADE double pump - pump every 2-4 hrs (id ask a LC for exact hours or LLL leader first though cause i cant quite remember)

2) look on kellymom.com for herbs that you can take to help your milk supply come back. Milk thistle, blessed thistle, more milk plus, mother milk, beer, oatmeal, feenugreek are just some popular ones. Youll find the dosages on KM as well and youll need to take them everyday and even after your milk starts to come back until your milk supply is established. This along with pumping will help.

3) you can get Reglan (watch out, its not good for those prone to depression) or Domperidone (not FDA approved in USA though so youd have to get it online) by prescription to get your milk back too. they are not meds specially for milk supplies, ita only a side effect that works wonderfully. I have taken Reglan. Your LC will tell you the correct dosage to take the same as herbs above- everyday, etc.

--------------------------
then youll start out by going to a LC and getting all that and pumping ++++ taking meds to get your supply in. Youll bring LO to breast as much as possible and pump. Breastfeeding is supply and demand so the more you put baby to breast and pump- the more milk youll get. Your LO is NOT too old and it is possible to relactate. Youll want to talk to the LC about how to properly reduce the bottles of formula. Some might say since pumping you can slowly add BM and take away formula (ex: 60% form the rest BM, and every so many days/weeks reduce form amount) until baby gets all BM. Of course same needs to be brought up about how to get baby off bottles.

Its a slow process and there are ups and downs, but its well worth it. Even if you cant put baby to breast but can pump for them-- thats still a GREAT gift and you are trying your hardest

Re: Starting nursing after 5 months

Originally Posted by @llli*friedeggs

MY son was born April 1st of this year. I am a diabetic, so the moment he was born, he was whisked to NICU. I had time to hold him, but that's all. While in NICU he was given a bottle of formula to raise his blood sugar(the only reason it was low was because the "brilliant" nurses gave me insulin during delivery, even though my blood sugar was a healthy 92). When they brought him to my room, I tried breastfeeding. I tried it over and over and over that day, and all through the night. Toward the end of the night, he was screaming so much, and seemed to be so hungry, that the nurse suggested a bottle. He drank half of it. Later that morning when I went to pick him up from the nursery the nurse there told me that he had had half a bottle. From that point on, he wanted nothing to do with the breast. He'd latch on for a few seconds, then when nothing came out, he'd scream until I gave him a bottle. My original plan was to breastfeed. I had no idea that I needed to tell them not to give him a bottle. So by the time we left the hospital, he wanted nothing but a bottle. To top this off, my milk to about a week and a half to come in.
Of course, I had (and still do) the usual feelings of guilt. Everytime I see someone breastfeed her baby, I want to cry.
Baby is almost six months old now. He's doing very well on formula and gaining weight adequately. We've introduced solids and a little bit of juice. I still feel the feel the sad feelings though.
I've never heard of relactation until today. I just thought that once the milk was gone, it was gone.
I would really like to breastfeed. But is he too old now to try it? Could my milk come back even though it has been gone for over 5 months? What sould I do to try and get it back? HELP!!!

I'm glad you're here!

What a rotten experience you had getting started (or, really, not getting started) with breastfeeding. It seems as though the hospital staff stole your opportunity from you and your son. When I hear stories like yours (and I hear lots of them ), I get angry. I see no cause for a mother to feel guilt! The guilt lies with the health care professionals who undermine breastfeeding...